Easier Than Expected
by ipsa dixit
Summary: Winning was going to be easier than expected./for ql


For the Quidditch League, Tutshill Tornados, seeker, Round 12, write about two characters in a competitive/rival relationship (rose and scorpius)

lol this was posted after my round 13 fic :') #seekerwho?

thanks for emy, jenny, ruby, and em for betaing and thanks to tee, ruby, jenny, and emy for help with plot :) love you all! :3

Word Count: 1410 by Google Docs

* * *

Rose Weasley had never been angrier than she was on the day Scorpius Malfoy decided to run for class president. She, along with everyone else in her grade, had assumed she'd run unopposed—she was the most popular _and_ the smartest girl in the freshman class at Hogwarts High. In short, she was the most suited to becoming class president.

She had officially signed up and advertised, but didn't really do anything big to achieve her goal—she didn't need to.

Until Scorpius Malfoy waltzed in and decided that _he_ was going to run for president. Scorpius had moved to America from England the summer between eighth and ninth grade and, right away, became popular in their grade—he was _cool_. He had a British accent that everyone, even Rose, loved. He was hot, without a doubt. He was friendly and nice to everyone no matter what, so he immediately shot up the social ladder.

Rose was completely fine with Scorpius being popular—after all, she was still the most popular, but she was _not_ okay with him running for president; he was some new kid from England who had zero right to run. Except, unfortunately, he _did_ have a right to run, because Rose didn't make the rules, as much as she'd like to. For the first time in nine years, since she'd joined her current class, Rose was nervous about not being popular and being beaten to the top spot by somebody else.

She was ready to pull out her hair due to stress.

* * *

The next day at school Rose planned to hand out buttons, advertising her campaign. She stayed up all night making the buttons with plastic casings, carefully making sure each button was perfect.

When she got to school, she headed straight for the cafeteria, where she saw something that she really didn't like. A table was set up filled with miniature sized cupcakes. Behind the table stood Scorpius handing them out to people, grinning and saying, "Vote Scorpius Malfoy for class president!"

"What's this?" Rose asked, walking up to Scorpius.

"Vote Scorpius Malfoy for class president!" he told someone, giving them a cupcake, before turning to Rose. "Fairy cakes," he said grinning. "Everybody loves fairy cakes."

"What the hell is a fairy cake?" Rose asked, her brows furrowing in confusion. They sounded illegal, like they were stuffed with something… not appropriate for school. He gestured with his hand to the table in front of him, filled with cupcakes.

"Fairy cake?" he offered to another passerby. "Vote Scorpius Malfoy for class president!"

"Vote Rose Weasley for—" Rose tried to hand one of her buttons to the person, but they ignored her, walking away. "Vote Rose Weasley—" she tried with another person who approached them, but they held up a hand to Rose, took a cupcake from a grinning Scorpius, and walked away.

"Vote Scorpius for a job well done!" Scorpius said to a third person.

"You have my vote, Scorpius," the person told him, smiling as he took a cupcake. He didn't spare Rose a single look.

"Hey," Scorpius said, winking at Rose, "maybe I could help you with your campaign." Rose noticed that he didn't bother to actually answer her question about what fairy cakes were.

"Help me?" she repeated, giving him an incredulous look. "That's not how it works."

The amount of people coming in and getting cupcakes seemed to have gone down and, for the most part, it was only Scorpius and Rose in the hallway.

"What do you mean?" Scorpius asked, flashing her another grin and handing cupcakes to another couple of passerbys. Rose shoved a couple of buttons into their hands, giving them a smile. They looked slightly confused at her but took the pins anyway.

"You're my competitor, Malfoy. I'm supposed to beat you. You can't _help_ me!"

The warning bell rang just then and Scorpius started to pick up his 'fairy cakes' and put them back into his big container.

"I think," he said, placing the lid on the container, sealing it shut, "that doesn't matter. I may win, you may win, but either way, we both care about the grade and what happens to it. We'll both do great. Why shouldn't I help you?"

"If you want me to win, you could just drop out," Rose said, gritting her teeth. Why was Scorpius playing with her like this?

"But I want to win," he replied, scooping up his bag and starting to walk. She followed him, shooting him a glare. "Dropping out wouldn't help me with that."

"You don't make any sense, Malfoy."

"Oh, I'm really sorry, _Weasley_." His voice was dripping with sarcasm. At last, as they turned the corner, heading to the first period. "I'll text you later, okay?" Scorpius promised as they reached Scorpius' classroom. "I'll give you some tips, free of charge."

With another wink in Rose's direction, he walked into the classroom, leaving her alone in the hallway, seething.

* * *

After school, Rose clutched her phone, hard. She didn't know why, but she really hoped that Scorpius wasn't joking about texting her; she could use the help. She would never admit it, but Scorpius was beating her in the race for class president. He was more widely liked and he had ideas for things that Rose had never even thought of. Maybe he would actually give her tips so that she could rise up and beat him for the top spot.

A text came in, making her phone buzz. She cheered inwardly as she saw that it was Scorpius.

 _Hey_ , the text said.

 **Hey, Scorpius, I've been thinking about what you said earlier** , she quickly texted back, seizing the opportunity.

 _I've said a lot of things earlier. U need to be more specific_ , he replied. She rolled her eyes. He was one of those texters, using shorthand.

 ***you** , she answered, out of habit. **And what you said about you giving me tips for the presidential race. I'll take them.**

 _K well basically u need to be likable. Ppl might like u but u come off 2 strong and u need to b more likable bc ppl who_ dont _no u might b intimidated and not want 2_ vote _for u._ Also _you need to campaign with more original ideas. Buttons?_

Rose cringed at his bad grammar but groaned at his suggestions. She was completely likable and her buttons were original! Okay, she might've gotten the idea from the internet, but she had designed them herself.

 **I'm not even going to start on** **your awful grammar. How are you in my honors English class?**

 _Hey, I can type w good grammar if I want 2_ , he texted back before she could respond to the rest of his message.

 **It takes the same amount of taps to write '2' as there is to write 'to'** , Rose told him, still cringing. **ALSO, what type of 'original' ideas are you talking about?**

 ** _O_** poor poor ** _rose. Ur supposed 2 come up w_** ur ** _own ideas. Or r u really that unoriginal?_**

 **I just don't know what sort of things you're talking about. And** (Rose was about to hate herself for sucking up to Malfoy) **you are winning. You're just better at it than I am. You're better than me.**

For a few terrifying moments, all that was there was the three dots signifying him typing, but no message.

 _Thank you_ , Rose's phone read finally, a new message popping up. _So_ yh _u could_ mayb _give out custom_ lollys _. I no a gr8 place 4 them that I could give u and they have_ 2 day _shipping so_ ull get _it fast. U could also release balloons advertising ur campaign or_ mayb _draw cartoons to boost u up. This might b 2 extra but u could pick a song and have it playing wherever u go so ppl will recognize more. I almost did that. Do u need more?_

 **No, this is actually good, thanks** , she replied after reading his paragraphs. **They weren't bad suggestions, actually. Why are you helping me, anyway?**

The three dots returned, furthering Rose's anxiety of just texting Scorpius.

 _Ull_ laugh _if I tell u_ , was all he responded.

 **I won't. Tell me.**

 _K fine. I fancy u and I want to help u win because I know_ itll _make u happy._

Rose nearly dropping her phone. Scorpius Malfoy was helping her because he liked her? He wanted her to win?

Winning was going to be easier than expected.


End file.
